


apple picking brother dropping

by avapacifica



Series: October Writing Challenge 2020 [3]
Category: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Movies)
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Apples, Brotherly Angst, Brothers, Child Abandonment, Gen, Hurt, Light Angst, Making Up, Slice of Life, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:53:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26807677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avapacifica/pseuds/avapacifica
Summary: little harmless fun takes a bad turn and the twins get angry at each other
Relationships: Robert "Chop Top" Sawyer & Nubbins Sawyer
Series: October Writing Challenge 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948126
Kudos: 12





	apple picking brother dropping

**Author's Note:**

> Day 3: Distrust  
> The twins are about 10 in this, Bubba is about 5. Enjoy!

Grandpa and Grandma had wanted the boys out of the house, and so the four brothers were sat on the Corbins’ trailer, being brought out to their apple farm. Not many families around them had apples, it was too warm in the South for them. The Corbins didn’t usually allow others to pick their own, but Drayton had gone to school with their oldest, so they were given special treatment. The hay bales they were supposed to be sitting on were packed tight and not too itchy. Bubba was being unusually quiet. The air was cool, but not chilly. It should’ve been a nice fall activity. 

To Drayton’s dismay though, the twins were acting out. It wasn’t strange of them to do so, but he had really been hoping to have a sliver of enjoyment on this Sunday afternoon. They had just left the farm house, and he had already had to pull Bobby over the edge of the trailer so he wouldn’t fall off and stop Nubbins from eating straw. He’s glad they’re having fun, that didn’t happen much anymore with their parents having left only months ago. But dammit, he’s allowed to wish for a little bit of relaxation himself. 

They pull up to the trees, Nubbins and Bobby pulling themselves through the bars before the door is even opened for them. Drayton takes Bubba’s hand, grabbing the baskets with the other. His old classmate opens the hatch for them, Drayton apologizes and thanks him all at once. 

“That’s fine, they’re just bein’ boys.” His friend assures him. Drayton still feels bad. The twins are out of sight, so he decides to leave their two baskets behind. If they don’t want to help, they can carry their apples in their damn shirts. “Holler when you need a ride back.” Drayton is told. 

“Don’t bother,” he sighs, the twins now out of his site. “We’ll walk back.” They might be here for hours. His friend shrugs, but accepts it, heading back to his home. Drayton and Bubba start their collecting, Drayton praying that Bobby and Nubbins don’t manage to burn the entire orchard down. 

Nubbins runs alongside the branches, Bobby a row over. They’re racing to the end of the trees.

“Truce!” Bobby yells, out of breath already. “Why are we even goin’ this far?” 

“That’s where all the best apples are.” Nubbins tells him confidently. “But we can walk if you want.” Bobby is glad. They go along, kicking the dirt and occasional rocks.

“Why are the best apples at the end?” Bobby asks.

“The farmers never want to go to the farthest trees, so they leave all the good ones on them.” This isn’t the truth of course, but Bobby accepts it as such, because he believes his brother. The end is not in sight though, and both boys take notice of that. Nubbins sighs. “I guess we can stop here though. Wish we had a stepladder, so we could reach the ones on the top.”

“Climb on my shoulders!” Bobby exclaims, wanting to be smart, offer his own idea to the bunch. He crouches, allowing Nubbins into the air. He steadies himself on the branch, and starts grabbing every apple within his reach. They’re tossed to the ground, spread out. There’s no direct pile, and each one is probably getting bruised, but they’re having fun, so it doesn't really matter.

Bobby’s eyes were stuck on Nubbins for a good while, but after watching him repeat the same motions over and over on a few different trees, his eyes start to wander. He scans the tree they’re currently at, and his vision lands on an apple. This isn’t any apple though, it’s shape is perfect, the color is even. Like the storybooks portray the fruit at their school, a single leaf is coming out of the top. He’s about to ask his brother to grab it for him, when he says something himself.

“Damn! Look at that one.” And just like that, Nubbins is pointing at the apple that Bobby had his heart set on. He doesn’t really think about it, competition with his twin is just his nature, but Bobby hurries over to grab it for himself. He had seen it first, it was only fair. Forgetting their situation lands the consequence on Nubbins, as he slips off of his brother’s shoulders. He grabs the branch closest to him, and dangles in the air.

Bobby is admiring what he could grab before his brother, not even noticing when he falls behind him, and lands on his leg the wrong way.

“OW!” Nubbins yelps behind him. Bobby turns, shocked. The existence of anything outside of himself had slipped his mind for the moment, he hated being back in reality. 

“Shit Nubbins, are you alright?” He asks, kneeling down next to him. He doesn’t let go of the apple.

“No I ain’t alright, I think I broke my leg.” He whines. One glance and you could see that wasn’t true.

“Oh stop being so dramatic.” Bobby remarks. Nubbins humphs, and they both turn away from each other. Bobby’s arms are crossed against his chest, Nubbins are holding his leg.

Drayton arrives next to them after a minute passes, pissed to hell and back. Bubba’s upset, crying at all the commotion. Now what have they done? When he finds out, Drayton smacks Bobby upside the head, and does his best to help Nubbins stand. He tells him the same thing Bobby had, albeit nicer. No his leg wasn’t broken, but it’s not like he’s faking the pain.

Drayton helps Nubbins back to the house, while Bobby marches ahead of them, trying to cool off. Really, he knows he shouldn’t be angry. But acknowledging that just makes him angry at himself. He’s mad overall, and he can’t even decide on who to direct it at. 

Once they’re close, Drayton yells up to him to tell the Corbins that his brother is going to need to rest for a minute. Bobby does as he’s told, running ahead. He’s ashamed at every word he tells the family. He helps them set up the couch, and opens the door for Drayton and Nubbins when they reach it. Drayton tries to pull him inside, but he plants his feet, despite how weak his grip is.

“He’ll probably just slam it on us.” Nubbins mutters. Drayton rests his hand on the door, and Bobby lets go of it. It’s okay for him to be mad at Nubbins, but Nubbins can’t be mad at him. That just makes him feel bad!

He follows them inside, but sits with Bubba in the kitchen while the adults tend to his twin. He wouldn’t know how to help, and with how Nubbins is upset with him, he isn’t sure he could even assist with direction. The Corbins end up departing first, and Drayton eventually leaves Nubbins in the living area.

“They said we could stay for a little while, at least until he’s okay to go.” Drayton explains to the two other brothers, Bobby was the only one listening though. Drayton sits down and pulls Bubba onto his lap, asking about the coloring sheet Mrs. Corbin had given him. Bobby stares down at the apple that never really left his clutch. Now, it only seems to taunt him. He knows what he has to do.

When he gets up to go see Nubbins, Drayton is proud, at least if he’s actually going to apologize. God knows what Bobby might have planned. He wasn’t going to force his brother to say something, but he may be a man yet if his actions prove alright today.

Nubbins glares at him when he enters the room, and turns facing the back of the couch.

“What d’you want?” He asks, his voice filled with malice.

“Just to give you this.” Bobby tells him, holding out the apple. 

“Did you stick it in the toilet or something?” Nubbins ask. It isn’t even the worst situation he can imagine his brother pulling.

“No…” Bobby’s heart breaks a little in that moment. They were always there for each other, especially recently. When it comes down to it, he does want to be there for Nubbins during the bad. He wouldn’t even think about pranking him right now. He doesn’t understand why Nubbins would think he could. He sits in a wicker chair, placing the apple on the coffee table. It was the first time he wasn’t holding it since he picked it. They’re silent for a while. Nubbins has nothing to say. Bobby could go on and on, he just doesn’t know where to start.

“I’m sorry.” He settles on. Instead of Nubbins responding, Drayton does from the doorway.

“You should appreciate that Nubs, the amount of voluntary apologies I’ve gotten from him over the years is definitely less than five.” Nubbins makes a little noise, but Bobby can’t really make out what it was. Soon, Nubbins is full out laughing, rolling on the couch. Bobby’s heart and lungs breathe a sigh of relief. 

“You said sorry, you’re such a bitch.” He giggles.

“Hey!” Drayton scolds from the door, but even he’s smiling. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments are always appreciated, they make my day!


End file.
